The American Heart Association has expanded its education portfolio to help clinicians put the new cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome guideline into practice. New resources range from 15-minute micro-learnings to in-depth courses and practical tools. Continuing education credit offerings vary.
Cardiovascular, kidney and metabolic conditions, like Type 2 diabetes and obesity, often overlap, making coordinated care increasingly important. Since 2023, the American Heart Association, a relentless force changing the future of health for everyone everywhere, has been a leader in advancing CKM health by convening experts across science, clinical care and industry and developing resources to help improve diagnosis and management of these interconnected conditions.
"CKM syndrome challenges clinicians to look beyond a single condition and consider how cardiovascular, kidney and metabolic health influence one another," said Ambar Kulshreshtha, M.D., Ph.D., a family practice physician who is a member of the Association's CKM health Initiative and a professor of family and preventive medicine at Emory School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. "These educational resources support a range of learning styles and busy schedules, giving care team members practical ways to build knowledge, stay current with the latest evidence and apply recommendations."
The Association's CKM education can be found on the CKM Health for Professionals site, which is designed to help physicians, nurses, pharmacists and other members of the healthcare team confidently apply the latest CKM science in practice.
Micro-Learnings (15 minutes or less)
Short videos and other activities allow healthcare professionals to build actionable CKM knowledge and skills in 15 minutes or less. Clinicians can refresh their knowledge on measuring waist circumference or hear highlights from the 2026 Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Syndrome Guideline. Other topics include the PREVENT equations, a framework for weight management conversations and bridging gaps in CKM care.
Clinicians can listen and learn about the latest CKM recommendations and strategies for implementing evidence-based care in everyday practice. A half-hour episode offers CE credit on therapeutic applications for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), which is increasing alongside rising metabolic risk factors. Additional offerings explore the connection between chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular disease and interdisciplinary approaches to cardiometabolic and liver health.
Videos on Demand (60+ minutes)
On-demand education can be watched at any time. These opportunities often include the recorded version of live events, like the CKM Syndrome Guideline Unpacked: A Unified Approach for Interdisciplinary Prevention & Care, a virtual summit featuring insights from the guideline writing committee. Additional offerings address cardiovascular risk assessment, chronic kidney disease screening, GLP-1 receptor agonists, and managing patients with heart failure and CKM syndrome.
Apps & Tools (Guideline Resources and Implementation Tools)
Apps and implementation tools are designed to support CKM care at the point of practice, including a QuickStart guide for the American Heart Association Predicting Risk of cardiovascular disease EVENTsTM (PREVENT) Online Calculator, which estimates 10- and 30-year cardiovascular disease risk by integrating cardiovascular, kidney and metabolic health measures. In addition to infographics that break down evidence-based care and practices with bold visuals, the Guidelines-on-the-Go app (available for iOS and Android) puts the latest science and clinical recommendations at your fingertips.
Toolkits and Additional Resources
CKM education extends beyond courses with downloadable tools to support day-to-day patient care. The CKM Care Clinical QuickStart Guide is a concise, step-by-step guide covering screening, risk stratification, staging and management. Additional resources support kidney disease screening and implementation of coordinated CKM care across specialties.
Advancing Integrated Care through the CKM Health Initiative
Several of these educational experiences are offered by the American Heart Association's Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Health Initiative™. The initiative, supported by founding sponsors Novo Nordisk and Boehringer Ingelheim, supporting sponsors Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation and Bayer, and champion sponsor DaVita, is a specific effort to raise awareness of the connections between CKM syndrome conditions, improve diagnosis rates and help clinicians and patients better manage their risk for cardiovascular disease.
For regular updates on new science and learning opportunities, follow American Heart Association Science on X @AHAScience.
